"THE MOTHERLEY'S LUCK."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1231, 13 September 1911, Page 6

"THE MOTHERLEY'S LUCK."

MISS M. E. RICHMOND'S NEW PLAY. With a sounder idea of the ethics of stage management and a rehearsal or two under capable supervision, "The Motherley's Luck," a new musical fantasy written -by Miss Mary Elizabeth Richmond, with music by Mrs. Walter Fell and MissRichmond, would have been a very different and much nioro enjoyable entertainment than thai, given at the Opera House last evening. As it was the construction was somewhat crude, though much of tho matter was excellent, and the basic idea quite an attractive flight into the. realms of fancy. It seemed a great pity that an effort was not made to add just that touch which would have given the performance that crispness so essential to tho. •success of a play, irrespective of its character. As it was, the tag, "To our faults bo blind," was almost inspirational, and one must respect the motive .which prompted .such modesty in an authoress of Mis 9 Richmond's talent. "Tho Motherley's 'Luck", is a little play which has been oxpanded into a three-act musical comedy. Mrs. Motherley has an outsizo in families—fourteen girls and eight boys —the father of whom, a London policeman, has been driven to emigrate to Australia by tho doings of,the suffragettes. Though a dear loving soul, Mrs. Motherley has a weak memory, and through losing her diary somehow or other loses her sons, who are discovered as "brownies" living in a Somerset wood, where they frolic inconsequentially as a king and his subjects. The play opens in Mrs. Motherley's schoolroom, where her romping, giggling girls entertaia themselves with mirth and music, when not coddling their fond progenitor, and get a good deal of girlish fun out of Master Mat Martin, a stodgy school manager, who is an apostle of prosincss, and is properly disposed of as such later on by a huge extinguisher. In this act the girls sing a catchy lilt, which may be called "Sally Street, and Miss Bertha Miles sings a tuneful ballad (with chorus), entitled "Learn to Love." The chorus, "Something Always Happens," is another bright number which stands out in the schoolroom- scene. It is here, too, that ono girl asks "What is a Socialist?" and is answered "Ono who has not got a country, and dees not obey tho laws unless they please his fancy." The next scent, ib devoted tc the "brownies," a brusque lot of boys who talk a lot of amusing nonsense somewhat jerkily, with tho assistance of the prompter. In this pleasant glade lives Will of the Woods," who introduces the boys to the oddities of tho night—littlo bands of glow-worms, moths, bats, and star-eyed fairies, who dance prettily in the calcium moonlight. Will is the tenor in the musical scheme and sings the rather taking littlo soiig, "All in the Silent Night," sweetly. The "brownies" agreo that sisters aro a great influenco for good, so learning that there are to bo May-day revels they plot to secure all tho'pretty girls as sisters, and do so, only to find that they are their sisters in very scoth, and Mrs. Motherley is their longlost mother. Before this, however, Motbsrley himself turns up from the Antipodes, and there aro explanations of a Gilbertian character and a general Tejoicing, during which a bevy of delightful children dance round the Maypolo prettily. The dancing is the most attractive feature of tho performance. The creatures of tho night, most quaintly costumed, oxecuto a wellplanned ballet, the Motherley girls exhibit their grace; in a scarf dance, and there are other terpsichorean revels for all parties. Mrs. Motherley was well played in a plaintive key by Mrs J. Darling; Dr. D. J. Isaacs plays Master Martin with commendable unction, and was quite good in his song, "I'm a Sandwich Man." Mr. Fletcher was out of the picture as Will of tho Woods, but sang his music sweetly. Tho best acting performance was that of Dr. Norman Hates as Sergeant Moses Motherley, in which ho hit off a typical London policeman to the life. He has the true theatrical sense, and his comedy was distinctly good throughout, and ho'made a. hit in his song, "All Policemen Love Mrs. Pankhurst.' All the girls—a very attractive lot—acted brightly and naturally, particularly Miss Vera Pcgg, wlio was Sunbeam, the Queen of tho May. The clever dances were arranged by Miss Campbell, the properties were designed by Mr. Baldwin and Miss Emily Richmond, and the costumes by Mrs. Hannah and Miss Emily Richmond. Tho orchestra, under Mr. H. Tonks, wero obviously short of rehearsal. The performance, which is in aid of the Free Kindergarten Schools, will bo repealed this ami to-morrow evenings.